Pot press



A118- 18" 1931 HNEL POT PREss v'Filed Aug. 23, 1929 ry'. 4K

2 Sheets-Sheet l Aligf 13, 1931- P. HNEL POT PREss Filed Aug. 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 UETED STATES PAUL HNEL, 0F DRESDEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 THE FIRM DRESDEN-A., GERMANY PATENT `OFFICE J. M. LEHMANN, OF

. Por :PREss Application iled August 23., 1929, Serial No. 387,879, and in Germany September 1928.

have been filled with the cocoa mass, the' filter plates are applied, and the several pots are then tightly pressed against the interposed pressure heads-through the medium of which movement is transmitted to the pistons within the respective pots. After the pressing operation is completed, in order to remove the press cakes fromthe pots, they are loosened or separated from the pressure heads and then displaced from the column laterally with respectto said heads. In the original type of such presses, each pot was provided with an individual tightening device consisting of a wedge member manually operated to tighten the pot against the pressure head and release the same. In later constructions, springs and pressure bars tion, the pot guides which slidably supportV vthe pots for movement to and from their operating positions in connection with the press heads, are provided with compression springs which act to tighten the pots against the interposed pressure heads. These guides are movably supported in the pressure heads and are operated against the action of said springs by pivoted levers. The free ends of all of the levers on opposite sides of the press,

are simultaneously engaged-by hydraulically actuated means and said levers moved in one direction to thereby simultaneously disengage or release the pots from the pr heads. l

. With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved pot press, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated ina the accompanying drawings, andV subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated one simple and practical embodiment ofthe invention, and in which similar reference' characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,-

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a pot pressequipped with my present improvements and showing the several pots in their released or open positions with relation to the pressure heads;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 8 is a kvertical central section onan enlarged scale through one of the pots and the associated pressure head showing the same in the relative poistions of- Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a vertical fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the pot in normal position closed against the pressure head, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, the pot being illustratedin dotted lines. l

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the press pots 1 to receive the cocoa mass or other material from which the oil or other liquidis to be pressed, each contains a piston 2 adapted to be forced upwardly in the pot by a pressure head 3.' The pressure heads and pots are alternately arranged in a vertical column` and the compression of the mass in each pot is primarily effected by means of a hydraulically actuated piston 4 which directly coacts with the piston or plunger 2 in the lowermost pot.

A perforated sieve plate 5 is arranged on the upper side of each piston 2, and a filter pad 6 is superimposed upon this plate.- A perforated sieve plate 7 is also secured to the under side of each pressure head 3 and against the same the filter pad 8 covering the were Op@ ,Side @there e Presse@ when the pot is tightened against the pressure head.

rlhe under side of each pressure head is provided with a diametrically extending channel or groove which receives a bar 9 forming a counterbearing for the inner rounded end of a release lever 10, said levers'being mounted on opposite sides of the pressure heads-and the ends-of the` levers associated witheach flateral guide extension on the pressure'head 3 which moves between the usual spacedvertical guide posts ofthe pressas seen in Fig. 2

`ofthel drawings. A compression `spring 15 is arranged upon the upper end of each guide shank between the pressure head extension and a plate `ltbolted or otherwise rigidly fixeduponthe upper end of said shank. Additional compressionsprings 14 are also in- -terposed between the opposite ends ofthis Aplate and the guide'extension on the pressure head 3, These springs 14- and V15 operate against the plate 16 to force the guides'll with the pots mountedv therein" upwardly and thereby tighten the pots .against the plate 7 on the lower sides of the pressure heads. Y At each side of the'machine,'the outer ends of the vertically spacedrelease'levers -10 are 4engaged by collars orYother-projections 17 fixed upon the vertical rods 18. TheY upper ends of thesefrods are provided with` suitable plungers indicated at 19 movable in the cylinders 20 which. receive suitable pressure means adapted tok act upon said-plungers and'force the rods 18 downwardly.

.In Fig. l ofthe drawings', the filled pots are shown in normal position,.their-upperends lbeing closed by the pressure heads. vThe pres- 5Ofsure is releasedfrom the cylinders 2O so that the fullgactionofthe springsli and 15 is secured to tightly hold the l potsl against the pressure heads. v'Ihe-hydraulicram 4 is then operated so that "pistons 2 are forcedv upwardly'in the.l several pots andlthe material therein compressed. vAfter :the completion of the pressing operation, hydraulic or' other pressure iiuid is suppliedv to thecylinders 20.,

'thereby forcing the rods 18 downwardly and also eXpediting the 'downward movementl of the ram 4to normal position. As thisram assumes Yits lowermost position, the projections 17 on rods 18 acting against'the levers 10 `will simultaneously p'ressItheI outervends of all of theflevers downwardlyy'gthe inner ends of said levers rocking upon the pressure heads 3 and the guides 13 together with the pots mounted thereon being simultaneously pressed downwardly away from the respective pressure heads 3 and the upper cross head'21. Thus-'the pots are quickly released sothat vthey rcan be shifted laterally in the guides 13 to one side of the vertical column for-the purpose of removing the presscake and then refilling the pot. i It is of course, understood that in place of "compression springs 14 and 15, tension springs may be used, in which case the outer ends of the levers kwill be lforced upwardly instead of downwardly to release the pots.

:F rom the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,'the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my present improvements will be fully and clearly understood. Itwill beseen that by means of a very simple mechanism, all of the pots may be positively and quickly released or loosened-from V'the pressure heads. llVhile I have herein shown and described a simple and preferred embodiment of the essential features of my present improvements, it is nevertheless to be understood that the same may also be incorporated in various other alternative struc- Atures, and I accordingly reserve the privilege Vof resorting'to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly embodied within the Vspirit and-scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim: l 1. In a pot press, a column of alternating `pots and press heads for pistons in the respective pots, means individual to the respective pots acting to hold the same normally in tight contact with the under side of the adacent press head to close all of the pots prior to vthe pressing operation, a relatively movable operating member for each of said means carried bythe associated press head, and ymeans to'simultaneously engage'and actuate all of said members to thereby simultaneously release all of the pots from contacting engagement with the associated press heads.

2. fIn a potfpress, a column of alternating pots and presshea-ds for pistons in the respective, pots, means individual to the respecvtivefpots actingfto hold thesame normally in `tight contact withthe under Yside of the ad- -jacent press head to close all of the pots prior to thepressing operation, each ofv said means Vincluding a'spring controlled pot support, a

pivoted operating lever for each of said pot supports, and means to simultaneously engage and actuate all of said levers to move the pot `supports in one direction and simultaneously release all of the pots from contacting engagement with: the associated press heads.

3. In a potpress, a column of alternating pots and press heads for pistons in the respective pots,-means individual to-the respective pots acting to hold the same normally in tight contact With thev under side of the adjacent press head to close all of the pots prior to the pressing operation, each of said means including a movable pot support mounted on one of the press heads and spring means coacting With said support to urge the same in one direction and retain the pot in normal position relative to the press head, levers pivotally mounted on the press heads and coacting with the pot supports, and means to engage and simultaneously move all of the levers in one direction to move the pot supports against the action of said spring` means, and thereby simultaneously release the pots from contacting engagement with the associated press heads.

4. In a pot press, a column of alternating pots and press heads for pistons in the respective pots, movable supports for each pot mounted on the associated press head, means yieldably urging the supports in one direction to close the pot against the press head, means on each press head cooperating with the supports to move the same in the opposite direction, and means for simultaneously actuating all of the last named means on all of the pressv heads to thereby release the pots from contact with the associated press heads.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as y my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

PAUL HNEL. 

